ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, August 11, 1996 TAG: 9608130030
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: F-1 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Dear John
SOURCE: JOHN ARBOGAST
Even with the potential for abundant rains and cool temperatures in the coming days or weeks, many homeowners and gardeners turn to irrigation this time of the year to maintain productive gardens and beautiful landscapes. When doing so, keep in mind that water should not be wasted.
With any type of irrigation, timing and the technique we use in watering are important to water conservation and protection. Irrigation should be planned to reduce water wasted by evaporation, runoff, excessive drainage, or watering beyond the necessary area.
To reduce water loss to evaporation, water at times when the potential for evaporation is low, which means when the air is relatively cool and humid (not in the midday sun) and the winds are calm. These conditions occur in the early to midmornings as well as evening. A drawback to evening watering, though, particularly with overhead watering, is that foliage that gets wet will stay wet all night and will be at a greater risk for certain disease development.
Runoff is water that does not soak into the soil where it is applied, but flows over the soil surface and eventually soaks in somewhere else or runs into storm drains, streams or lakes. In either case, it does not benefit our desirable plants. Runoff may carry away valuable topsoil as well as wash fertilizers, pesticides and other pollutants into our waterways. To avoid wasting water via runoff, irrigation should not be applied faster than it can be taken in by the soil where we want it to go. Creating a retaining berm around our plants will allow the irrigation water to puddle up and then seep in slowly. Drip irrigation is a great way to water slowly just where we need irrigating to avoid runoff.
Water waste because of excessive drainage is not much of a concern in our region as in areas with sandy soils unless our garden or landscape soil has been amended with sand or other materials that cause rapid draining. These soils usually require frequent irrigation. It is a good idea, though, to spot check by digging holes to see how deep water penetrates into the soil.
Irrigation water is often wasted when sidewalks and driveways or other unnecessary areas are watered along with our intended landscape or garden. The remedy to this situation is to change the irrigation methods to suit the area to be watered.
Q: I would like to know how to get rid of hornets that have built their nest under my outdoor shed door. I can't open my door to go outside. I have been using Hot Shot Wasp and Hornet Spray, but it is not getting inside to them. What else can I do? Mrs. E.W., Roanoke
A: In situations like yours, the solution would be to call an exterminator to handle the problem with professional application equipment and chemical arsenal. If you could get by without needing the shed door and surrounding area until really cold weather, simple wait for hard freezes to kill the nest, assuming that it is not well protected and insulated.
Send short questions about your lawn, garden, plants or insects to Dear John, c/o The Roanoke Times, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491. We need your mail, but this column can't reply to all letters. Those of wide appeal will be answered during the weeks that the subject is timely. Personal replies cannot be given. Please don't send stamps, stamped envelopes, samples or pictures.
LENGTH: Medium: 63 linesby CNB